Methods and apparatus to generate loading dock visual indicators

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9564072-B2
Application number	US-201313935006-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 3, 2013
Priority date	Jul 3, 2013
Publication date	Feb 7, 2017
Grant date	Feb 7, 2017

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed herein. An example method disclosed herein includes determining a state of a device of a loading dock and, based on the state, generating via a display a first directional indicator having a first orientation and a first color. The first orientation and the first color are to cooperate to indicate first directional information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a controller in communication with a vehicle restraint of a loading dock; and
a display in communication with the controller, the display having:
a first directional indicator and a first graphic adjacent the first directional indicator, in relation to the first graphic the first directional indicator to indicate a first direction, the display to display the first directional indicator in a first orientation relative to the first graphic and a first color if a vehicle is restrained via the vehicle restraint; and

a second directional indicator and a second graphic adjacent the second directional indicator, in relation to the second graphic the second directional indicator to indicate a second direction, the display to display the second directional indicator in a second orientation relative to the second graphic and a second color if the vehicle is not restrained via the vehicle restraint the first characteristic of the first directional indicator including first pointers and second pointers positioned in a row.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a face of the housing includes the first portion, and wherein a side of the housing includes at least one of a transparent or translucent second portion to be illuminated when at least one of the first directional indicator or the second directional indicator is displayed.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the display comprises a substantially opaque cover disposed on the housing, the cover including a first window to be illuminated to display the first directional indicator.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the cover includes a second window to be illuminated to display the second directional indicator, the first window having a first shape, the second window having a second shape being a mirror image of the first shape.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first directional indicator comprises first pointers having the first orientation, and the second directional indicator comprises second pointers having the second orientation.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an input device in communication with the controller, wherein the display is to display the first directional indicator and the second directional indicator if the controller detects operation of the input device.

7. An apparatus, comprising:
a controller in communication with a device of a loading dock, the controller to determine a state of the device; and
a display in communication with the controller, the display including a first directional indicator and a first graphic adjacent the first directional indicator, the display to display the first directional indicator based on the state of the device, the first directional indicator having a first characteristic to indicate a direction and a second characteristic to indicate at least one of permissiveness or nonpermissiveness the first characteristic of the first directional indicator including first pointers and second pointers positioned in a row.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a housing including the display, wherein the controller is disposed inside the housing.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the housing includes an input device in communication with the controller, the display to display a visual indicator if the controller detects operation of the input device.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the display is disposed on a face of the housing, and the housing includes a side to be illuminated when the first directional indicator is displayed.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising a light fixture of the loading dock in communication with the controller, the light fixture to generate a second visual indicator having at least one of the first characteristic or the second characteristic.

12. A method, comprising:
determining a state of a device of a loading dock; and
based on the state, generating via a display a graphic and a first directional indicator having a first orientation and a first color, the graphic adjacent the first directional indicator, the first orientation and the first color to cooperate to indicate first directional information relative to the graphic.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising displaying the graphic between the first pointers and the second pointers.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first pointers and the second pointers indicate a direction relative to the graphic.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first pointers point toward the second pointers, and the second pointers point toward the first pointers.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first pointers point away from the second pointers, and the second pointers point away from the first pointers.

17. An apparatus, comprising:
a controller in communication with a vehicle restraint of a loading dock; and
a display in communication with the controller, the display having:
a first directional indicator and a first graphic adjacent the first directional indicator, in relation to the first graphic the first directional indicator to indicate a first direction, the display to display the first directional indicator in a first orientation relative to the first graphic and a first color if a vehicle is restrained via the vehicle restraint, the first directional indicator including first pointers having the first orientation; and
a second directional indicator and a second graphic adjacent the second directional indicator, in relation to the second graphic the second directional indicator to indicate a second direction, the display to display the second directional indicator in a second orientation relative to the second graphic and a second color if the vehicle is not restrained via the vehicle restraint, the second directional indicator including second pointers having the second orientation, the first graphic is positioned between the first pointers and the second pointers.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising a housing having at least one of a transparent or translucent first portion, the first portion to be illuminated to display the first directional indicator.

19. An apparatus, comprising:
a controller in communication with a vehicle restraint of a loading dock; and
a display in communication with the controller, the display having:
a first directional indicator and a first graphic adjacent the first directional indicator, in relation to the first graphic the first directional indicator to indicate a first direction, the display to display the first directional indicator in a first orientation relative to the first graphic and a first color if a vehicle is restrained via the vehicle restraint, the first directional indicator includes green pointers pointing toward the first graphic to indicate that the vehicle is restrained, and;
a second directional indicator and a second graphic adjacent the second directional indicator, in relation to the second graphic the second directional indicator to indicate a second direction, the display to display the second directional indicator in a second orientation relative to the second graphic and a second color if the vehicle is not restrained via the vehicle restraint, the second directional indicator includes red pointers pointing away from the second graphic to indicate that the vehicle is not restrained.

Assignees

• Senfleben Jason
• Budoff Jeffrey
• Klotz Nicholas
• Stone Bradley J
• Rite Hite Holding Corp

Inventors

• Senfleben Jason
• Budoff Jeffrey
• Klotz Nicholas
• Stone Bradley J

Classifications

• G09F21/04 Primary

  by land vehicles · CPC title

• G09F2013/227

  Electroluminescent displays for vehicles · CPC title

• B65G69/005

  the means engaging at least one wheel of the vehicle · CPC title